Prayer

[englishredrose]

Originally Posted by Vouthon

For me, prayer is an ascent of my heart and soul to God. It is a turning away from myself and self-will, to Him and his Will. Through prayer, I aim to align my will with the Divine Will and ultimately lose my self with all its wordly attachments so that I can strip my soul of every sin which currently clings to it and robe her with godly virtues. In this manner I hope to attain union with God in the ground of my soul, in my inmost being where lies the Image of God, who is more intimate to me than I am to myself, who is closer to me than my own soul, who is more interior to me than I am to myself. And in so doing I hope to become a better human being, a better Christian and a better lover of Our Lord. In prayer I retire every day into that sacred inner temple where only God dwells, where only he can enter, no one else. And I try to grow in closer union with Him within that intimate space.

Prayer is about abandoning self-will, detachment and growing in union with God

It is a gift from our Blessed Lord.

You seem to demand a lot from prayer? I hope you feel fulfilled and find yourself growing as you say. Good luck

[englishredrose]

Originally Posted by stevekehl

Communicating with an all-powerful,all-knowing, always present God who hears all prayers and loves all His children. Sometimes I pray for a specific person or circumstance, other times I thank God for His blessings, provision, mercy, and grace, ask forgiveness, ask for guidance and make requests. Prayer is also about listening to God. The Scriptures tell us that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray (Jude1:20), so prayer is also about being aware of the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you
and I hope that you feel God listens and provides all that you ask for and are at peace

[englishredrose]

Originally Posted by Stilldreamn

I see prayer as an amazing gift from God, the opportunity to communicate directly and freely in praise and thanks. As father's day approaches, I am reminded that this is one Father that is with us always and forever and I'm glad he hears me.

thankyou
yes prayer is an amazing gift of God as of believing in God is an amazing gift too.

[englishredrose]

Originally Posted by Lokabrenna

Prayer is communication with the gods. Sometimes prayer is very formal, with candles and incense and such. Other times, prayer is doing the dishes. Prayer is dancing barefoot in the grass. Prayer is making love (this sort of prayer, I'm told, is quite enjoyable).

Thank you for joining in and I did smile when I noted you are of pagan and if it hadn't been then would sound quite catholic. Though you didn't add prayer is watching God's wonderful nature, ie gazing upon the view before us and soaking it up. Though I think we would add being aware of the presence of God too and that to me is simply prayer, prayer without words and easy and very basic. But easy complete and whole. Prayer is making love but perhaps not by what we today think of as making love....

[ebonykawai]

Prayer gives voice to a longing for a more pure relationship with God.

[Tantum ergo]

Originally Posted by englishredrose

Confused,
Solely to God - well who else would it relate to

Prayer is an ASKING. You of all people as an Englishwoman should know the history of this word and its use in the works of one of the greatest writers of the English language, William Shakespeare.

In his plays, Shakespeare has his characters address each other (NOT GOD) with the words, "Prithee" (which is a contraction of PRAY THEE).

IOW, Servant A says to servant B, "I pray thee, tell me if thy master is home."

I ASK YOU.

Not, "I am speaking to GOD ALONE".

[Tantum ergo]

Here is an example, Olivia speaking in the play "Twelfth Night". . .

I prithee gentle friend,
Let thy fair wisdom, not thy passions, sway
In this uncivil and unjust extent
Against thy peace.

and the definition of 'prithee': PRITHEE
alteration of (I) pray thee

archaic
—used to express a wish or request.

So I pray thee was used as a term to express a wish or request but was NOT limited to "God alone".

and the origin of Prayer:
Origin of PRAYER

Middle English, from Anglo-French priere, praiere, preiere, from Medieval Latin precaria, from Latin, feminine of precarius obtained by entreaty, from prec-, prex

This is the reason that Catholic (and Orthodox) Christians can speak of prayer 'to' the saints. Not as a substitute to praying to God, as if the saints were equal. (They are not).

But just as we can ask each other (I pray thee, gentle friend, assist me in my request) for something (and since the best something we can ask is for others to speak to God on our behalf), we can ask the saints (I pray thee, gentle friends, assist me in my request) for something.

Of course, nothing that we on earth do, from our first breath, is done without God 'behind it'. . .therefore nothing that the saints 'do' in heaven is done without God being 'behind it'.

Remember, God gave us two great commandments, not just one.

The whole point of the second commandment of "love your neighbor as yourself' is that we aren't a 'me and Jesus' group of two against the world. We are all God's children together and we communicate with each and to God, not simply to 'God alone' while ignoring everybody else.